Oreade Music's whimsical brand icon spells it out for the listener. The rendering of a musical note -- its "legs" crossed in relaxed repose -- illustrates the billowy angle at which the label and its artists drift. Ocean of Love upholds that reputation, collecting 11 favorites from new age flautist Chris Michell for a sparkly gentle trip through the pinwheels of time. Michell's wavering leads harmonize equally well with whales ("Whale Song") and humans (the gorgeous, near-choral "Angel Voices"); she also acts as a grounding ...
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Oreade Music's whimsical brand icon spells it out for the listener. The rendering of a musical note -- its "legs" crossed in relaxed repose -- illustrates the billowy angle at which the label and its artists drift. Ocean of Love upholds that reputation, collecting 11 favorites from new age flautist Chris Michell for a sparkly gentle trip through the pinwheels of time. Michell's wavering leads harmonize equally well with whales ("Whale Song") and humans (the gorgeous, near-choral "Angel Voices"); she also acts as a grounding force when the synth backgrounds get too busy, as they certainly threaten to do during "Dolphin Love." Despite its brief run time, Michell fans should enjoy Ocean of Love, as it's a nice cross-section of the flautist's work. Of particular note is a beautiful rendition of Ave Maria, pairing her flute to cooing, wordless vocals, crashing waves, and surging keys. ~ Johnny Loftus, Rovi
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